Internal-runner curtain rail for rolling or sliding curtain carriers



Sept. 22, 1910 w, HACHTEL 3,529,316 I INTERNAL-RUNNER CURTAIN RAIL FOR ROLLING OR SLIDING CURTAIN CARRIERS I Filed May 18, 1967 IN VEN TOR ML l/{LM "644 (7/7 EL ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,529,316 INTERNAL-RUNNER CURTAIN RAIL FOR ROLL- ING OR SLIDING CURTAIN CARRIERS Wilhelm Hachtel, Musberg, Germany Filed May 18, 1967, Ser. No. 639,443 Claims priority, application Germany, May 18, 1966, St 25,415 Int. Cl. A47h 13/00 US. Cl. 1687.4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Caps are attached to the ends of a curtain rail provided with track grooves. The caps are provided with openings for the passage of curtain carriers and closure member. The rail may be also provided with a recessed carrier plate.

This invention relates to an internal-runner curtain rail for rolling or sliding curtain carriers.

An object of the invention is to enable the curtain rail to be manufactured in any desired length in a convenient and inexpensive manner and to be fitted flush in the opening to be covered by the curtain.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent in the course of the following specification.

To accomplish these objectives the invention utilizes internal-runner rails which are known per se, and which may be made of wood but which, with particular advantage, are manufactured in a plastic material in any desired length by the extrusion method, the various lengths required being cut as required from the pieces kept in stock. According to the invention the ends of the curtain rail are fitted with plastic caps, which contain apertures for the insertion of curtain carriers and closure members. Such caps may be conveniently manufactured in one piece and advantageously stiffen the ends of the curtain rail, and hence, the rail in general. At the same time they save any subsequent machining of the interanl-runner rails and form a decorative connection between the curtain rail and the sides of the openings to be covered. For curtain rails of the same cross sectional profile it is possible to use the same caps irrespective of the length to be given to the curtain rails. A few types of cap are therefore sufiicient, that is to say one for single-track, one for two-track, and one for three-track curtain rails, and so on. According to the invention the caps may at the same time be constructed or used as supporting elements for the curtain rail.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, showing by Way of example, preferred embodiments of the inventive idea.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross section through a curtain rail along the sectional line II in FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is a partial vertical longitudinal section through the curtain rail on the sectional line I'III in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial front elevation of the curtain rail.

FIG. 4 is a view from below of the curtain rail.

FIG. 5 is a partial section on the line V.V in FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a section similar to FIG. 2 through a curtain rail of different construction.

FIG. 7 illustrates an end closure member.

FIG. 8 is a section similar to FIG. 5 through a curtain rail of a different construction.

FIG. 9 is a section on the line IXIX in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a section similar to FIG. 9 with the end closure member inserted.

FIG. 11 shows a different view of the end closure member illustrated in FIG. 10.

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FIG. 12 is an elevation of an end plate.

In the curtain rails illustrated in the examples, use is made of so-called internal-runner rails 26, which contain track grooves 1 and guide slots 2 to receive rolling or sliding curtain carriers (not illustrated). The rails 26 may be made of wood or plastics in any desired length, from which any length of curtain rail required in a particular case can be cut. The ends of the curtain rails consist of caps 3 which are preferably moulded of plastic material. Each of the caps has a top wall 4 flush with the top surface of the internal-runner rail, partitions 5, bottom walls 6, and side walls 7, all of which extend to the end surface 8 of the internal-runner rail, as do guide and spacer sleeves 9. The bottom walls 6 and side walls 7 are extended by lips 6a and 7a respectively, to fit accurately over the bottom surface and the side surfaces of the rail 26 and optionally engage in grooves 11 which are usually provided in curtain rails for fitting so-called rail masks. The caps are adhesively bonded to the rails 26 at the end faces of their walls and at their lips and/ or are fastened by nails 25 or screws which are passed through the rear walls 10 and the sleeves 9 into the rails 26. On their outside the rear walls of the caps are provided with flanges 12, which for the purpose of closely fitting the curtain rail to the flanks 13 of window or door openings or the like, and in particular in order to facilitate shortening and/or elastic yielding, are made with particularly thin walls which may also taper as shown. On their inside, the walls 10 are provided with ribs 14 which point towards the internal-runner rail and which leave openings 15 free at the bottom between the partitions 5.

The openings 15 serve for inserting the curtain carriers in the track grooves of the internal-runner rail. After the curtain has been hung the openings 15 are closed by end closure members 16. A book 17 is suspended centrally in the closure member illustrated in FIG. 6 and is movable in the longitudinal direction of the rail; it serves as a handle for fitting or removing of the closure member. The hook 17 can be used for suspending or securing the end of the curtain. The closure member is provided with one or more protuberances 16a which are pushed over the rib '14 on the insertion of the member, and also 'with one or more groove-like recesses 18 the flanks of which are supported on the tracks of the internal-runner rail. The closure members are in addition equipped with leaf springs 19 which press against the top wall when the member is introduced and which if desired may be made in one piece with the body 16 of a plastic material having flexible elasticit Iri the curtain rail illustrated in FIG. 6 the rear wall 10a of the cap is lengthened and reinforced in the form of a flange. By means of screws or the like passing through it the curtain rail is fastened on the flank 13.

Instead of the one-piece caps illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 7 it is also possible to use caps in which the partition 5, the bottom walls 6 and the side walls 7 are depending from the top wall 4. In each region between a partition 5 and the neighboring side wall 7, these are joined together and to the top wall by a rear wall 19, shown in FIG. 8, which on its rear side is provided with flanges 12. The partitions are joined together and to the top wall by a strip 20 from which lugs 21 similar to leaf springs depend. The lugs 21 are provided with noses 22 the top edge of which is in line with the running surfaces of the internalrunner rail. The end closure members used with this curtain rail are provided on both sides with groove-like recesses 18 by which they engage in the track edges of the rail and the noses 21.

For the purpose of mounting the curtain rail use is made of special mounting plates 23 (FIG. 12), which can be fastened by screws or the like on the sides of window openings or the like and which engage beneath the curtain rail at its bottom flange 12. In the region of the lugs 21 the bearing plates have one or more recesses 24.

It is apparent that the examples described above have been given solely by way of illustration and not by way of limitation and that they are capable of many variations and modifications within the scope of the present invention. All such variations and modifications are to be included within the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with an internal-runner curtain rail having track grooves for curtain carriers and a closure member for said rail, a cap enclosing one end of said rail, said cap having a rear wall and wall-engaging tapering flanges carried by the outer surface of said rear wall.

2. A cap in accordance with claim 1, comprising nails extending through said rear wall and engaging the end of said rail.

3. A cap in accordance with claim 1, comprising sleeves carried by said .rear wall and nails extending through said sleeves and engaging the end of said rail.

4. A cap in accordance with claim 1, wherein said rear Wall has resilient lugs, said lugs having noses engaging said closure member.

. 5. A cap in accordance with claim 4, wherein said rear wall has the shape of a plate having recesses adapted to receive said lugs.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,333,622 8/1967 Graber 160345 3,337,903 8/1967 Kenny 1687.4 3,387,321 6/1968 Janus 1694 BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner A. M. CALVERT, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 160345 

